This blog is part of a monthly series about community-led housing in Scotland, jointly written by Mike Staples, Chief Executive at South of Scotland Community Housing (SOSCH), and Ronnie MacRae, Chief Executive at Communities Housing Trust (CHT). Between us we’ve worked with hundreds of communities across Scotland, facilitating well over 1,000 affordable homes. In 2012, seven apprentices were taken on to help build six affordable homes in the Cairngorms National Park, as part of a skills training programme to boost crucial rural trades. Ten years later, three are still with the same local contractor, AW Laing. The rest have been taken on by other contractors in the area. The ten homes at Ardgeal near Kincraig were an exemplar community-led development by the Communities Housing Trust, using a former Forestry & Land Scotland site where all timber felled and material excavated was used on site. The homes have minimal impact on the environment and are efficient to run. But beyond this, they provided needed job opportunities for young people and boost rural construction trades. The apprentice programme was one of many ways the project looked at long-term sustainability. All felled timber was milled on site and some was provided for an outdoor classroom at the local primary school, whose numbers were increased with new families moving to the ten homes. In the remote community of Glentrool, on the edge of the Galloway Forest Park, Glentrool & Bargrennan Community Trust appointed Broatch Construction to redevelop three homes into affordable, family housing. The work was completed in March 2022, helped along by a team which included four apprentices. A trainee electrician, a plumber, and two joiners worked on the redevelopment project, all recruited from the local surrounding area. The apprentices used advanced, climate- friendly approaches, including implement new solar-powered heating systems, to create beautiful and high-quality homes for incoming families. The project also allowed for practical ‘green-build’ experience for young professionals along the way. South of Scotland Community Housing is also partnering with South of Scotland Enterprise and community organisations, including Dumfriesshire East Community Benefit Group, to develop a programme of skills- building for low-energy retrofits. These schemes will be jointly delivered with funders and communities to support an inclusive transition to net-zero in the construction and housing sectors. ‘Just’ building a house can be so much more – and we need to provide thousands more affordable homes in Scotland. The associated benefits from a community-led approach are significant. Establishing skills development programmes to help deliver community-led housing is an effective way to:
Opportunities for rural and regional growth Rural trades are in crisis. Construction prices rose more than 27% from May 2021 to May 2022;[1] travel costs are through the roof; and labour is exceedingly hard to come by, especially in rural areas. Numbers of construction employees in Scotland fell by 9.2% in 2020 compared to 2019, whereas numbers increased in England and Wales.[2] Construction projects overall are costing 10-15% more compared to 1-2 years ago.[3] These create real knock-on impacts when a community is paying. Since many construction firms and tradespeople are concentrated in the central belt, there is a growing need for regional skills. With the push towards community-wealth building, there is a huge opportunity for regional supply chains as an investment priority for the development sector. By keeping contracts local, community housing projects have the potential to create new jobs and training opportunities. It also ensures wages stay local and are reinvested in nearby people, businesses and services. This includes ongoing and long-term opportunities for repairs and maintenance, to establish or grow local companies which are more accessible and less expensive than companies who have to travel long-distance. This is a key aspect of viability and affordability of homes in rural areas. Community-led housing simultaneously provides job opportunities in rural areas and tackles the skills shortage for the long-term, further supporting rural communities down the line. Secure jobs and housing mutually reinforce each other and are important parts of creating great places. No Planet B As for planetary considerations, there’s also the drive to repurpose empty buildings across Scotland. In Glendale, Skye, the renovation of the disused school will provide opportunities for students to do hands-on coursework units in retrofitting and recycling building materials, as well as CPD for those in related fields. This Glendale Trust and Communities Housing Trust project is working in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland, Built Environment Smarter Transformation, and Climavore, to name just a few. We can’t have ‘sustainable developments’ with exciting new ‘green’ materials that have to be shipped internationally and installed by experts from afar. So, looking holistically at climate conscious aspects common to community-led projects, local contractors and companies help do the following:
References
[1] See UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy monthly statistics: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/building-materials-and-components-statistics-june-2022 [2] ONS Construction Statistics GB 2020 https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/articles/constructionstatistics/latest [3] Communities Housing Trust projects at September 2022; own calculations. Initial plans for the renovation of the disused Borrodale School in Glendale will be on show for community feedback on Thursday 25 August. The drop-in event at the former school from 3pm-7pm invites local residents to give input on early plans and designs for the building’s conversion to 5-6 affordable homes, which would be protected for use by local communities. The school building is in community ownership, having been purchased by the Glendale Trust with support from the Scottish Land Fund in 2014. Skye-based contractors will begin works shortly to make the building wind- and water-tight and to stop further decay, with funding from Historic Environment Scotland, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Rural Communities into Action Fund, Crown Estate Scotland and Foundation Scotland. In partnership with the Glendale Trust, the Communities Housing Trust is leading the project to renovate and convert the derelict buildings, with a focus on retrofitting and recycling building materials to minimise waste, and support and encourage rural trades. The project partners include University of the Highlands & Islands, Zero Waste Scotland, HIE, Climavore and Built Environment, Smarter Transformation. Plockton-based architect Olli Blair has drawn up initial plans for the homes, which would offer a mix of affordable tenancies allowing choice for people locally, such as social rent equivalent, mid-market rent, low-cost home ownership, or housing for keyworkers. Homes would be allocated by the Communities Housing Trust, prioritising people with a need to live or work in the area, and perpetually protecting the homes against use as holiday- and second-homes. Ronnie MacRae, chief executive of the Communities Housing Trust, said: “This is a community-led project, with local people taking a leading role in developing the community with a long-term view, and we would urge people nearby to come and share their views on the plans. We hope that the Borrodale project will act as a blueprint for community renovations to address repopulation, skills development in rural areas, reuse and recycling of materials, environmental concerns, and economic growth and opportunities.”
There are over 43,000 long-term empty homes across Scotland, and an urgent need for affordable housing. The renovation will focus on transforming an eyesore into an asset, providing housing for the local community as well as supporting economic growth of the region. Clare Gray, Chair of The Glendale Trust said: “We are very pleased with the plans and the architect’s vision to repurpose the buildings while keeping much of their original external appearance. It will be good to see work starting soon on the gable wall of the school house, as a key project milestone.” Drop in to the community consultation event at Borrodale School, Glendale (IV55 8WL) on Thursday 25 August, from 3pm-7pm. On hand to answer questions and discuss comments will be the Glendale Trust, the Communities Housing Trust, and architect Olli Blair. Feel free to download and share the event poster below: Glendale welcomed local MSP Kate Forbes last week, as she visited the community-led renovation of Borrodale school and schoolhouse. Historic Environment Scotland and Crown Estate Scotland recently awarded grants to further develop the buildings into much-needed affordable housing. The project to restore and convert the derelict buildings into 5-6 affordable homes is led by the Glendale Trust and supported by various partners including the Communities Housing Trust, Lochalsh & Skye Housing Association, HIE, University of the Highlands & Islands, and Zero Waste Scotland. Ms Forbes visited the site to understand firsthand how the innovative approach to retrofitting the buildings for the climate crisis will also provide benefits and opportunities for the local community. The project aims to minimise waste, reuse and recycle materials, and support and encourage local rural trades. Kate Forbes MSP said: “Housing is probably one of the most frequently raised issues with me, showing how important it is, and as the constituency MSP for Skye I am well aware of the pressures locally. “If we want families, and especially our young people, to remain on the island then it is absolutely critical that they have access to warm, safe and affordable homes. “Against that backdrop, I was delighted to visit Borrodale School and meet with representatives of both the Glendale Trust and Communities Housing Trust. “They are to be congratulated for their joint initiative and I look forward to these plans becoming a reality.” In March, the project received a grant of £30,000 from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) to deliver traditional masonry and lime render work to stop the building deteriorating further and to dry it out in preparation for renovation.
HES are supporting the refurbishment and conversion of Borrodale School and Schoolhouse, particularly the climate change adaptations using traditional materials and new energy efficiency measures needed in a retrofit of an older building. Roger Curtis, Technical Research Manager at Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said: “We’re pleased to be able to support this project to provide much needed additional housing stock through the retrofit of these buildings. The school and its schoolhouse played a key role in the community and through this project will create a new chapter in their story as well as contributing to the community and our broader aims of helping demonstrate thermal upgrade to older buildings as well as providing greener housing through the reuse and retrofit of existing building stock.” A further Community Capacity grant of £20,000 from Crown Estate Scotland, delivered in partnership with Foundation Scotland, will help develop the plans for the fuel-efficient homes. The Borrodale project will act as a blueprint for community renovations to address repopulation, skills development in rural areas, reuse and recycling of materials, environmental concerns, and economic growth and opportunities. The Glendale Trust purchased the school in 2014 with funding support from the Scottish Land Fund. Further funding for the renovation and conversion plans has been given by the Architectural Heritage Fund, the Rural Communities Into Action Fund delivered by Inspiring Scotland, and HIE. There are over 43,000 long-term empty homes across Scotland, and an urgent need for affordable housing. The renovation will focus on transforming an eyesore into an asset, providing housing for the local community as well as supporting economic growth of the region. It is expected that the development will provide a mix of affordable tenures based on demand, such as social rent equivalent, mid-market rent, low-cost home ownership, or housing for keyworkers. This mix allows more flexibility for a small community, allowing for differing financial capabilities and changing circumstances. Clare Gray, Chair of The Glendale Trust said: “We are delighted that Historic Environment Scotland appreciate the value of the buildings and have granted us the funds to repair the stonework and the roof in readiness for the refurbishment. This will give the building a new lease of life and bring affordable homes to Glendale.” Ronnie MacRae, CEO of Communities Housing Trust, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Historic Environment Scotland and Crown Estate Scotland on this project. They both recognise the importance not just of the buildings, but what the buildings could mean to the future of Glendale, and the wider community. It will be an example of community-led, climate-friendly restoration which communities across the country can replicate and use to boost local skills and support a circular economy. We were very pleased to share these plans with Kate Forbes.” The disused school and schoolhouse in Glendale, Skye has received a grant of over £47,000 from the Scottish Government’s Rural Communities in Action Fund to undertake further feasibility, design and development work.
The community-led project to renovate the school and schoolhouse into 5-6 affordable homes is being led by the Glendale Trust, in partnership with the Communities Housing Trust. This project is supported by the Rural Communities Ideas into Action fund, supported by the Scottish Government and delivered by Inspiring Scotland to encourage and support innovative approaches to community-led local development in rural communities across Scotland. The Glendale Trust purchased the school in 2014 with funding support from the Scottish Land Fund. £10,000 has also been provided by the Architectural Heritage Fund towards early-stage costs. A standard renovation for the Borrodale buildings was found to be unviable, so new and innovative approaches are being looked at, particularly in terms of retrofitting for the climate crisis and to maximise benefits and opportunities for the local community. There are 39,000 long-term empty homes across Scotland, and an urgent need for affordable housing. The renovation will focus on transforming an eyesore into an asset, providing housing for the local community and supporting economic growth of the region. It is expected that the development will provide a mix of affordable tenures based on demand, such as social rent equivalent, mid-market rent, low-cost home ownership, or housing for keyworkers. This mix allows more flexibility for a small community, allowing for differing financial capabilities and changing circumstances. Clare Gray, Chair of The Glendale Trust, said: “Borrodale School and Schoolhouse are embedded in the landscape and in the collective memory of generations of people from Glendale. We are delighted that the Communities Housing Trust, the Scottish Government’s Rural Communities in Action Fund and the AHF also recognise the value of the buildings and together we can now work to create affordable housing within their walls.” Ronnie MacRae, CEO of Communities Housing Trust, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Glendale Trust in renovating the old school, as it’ll provide much needed housing for the community. It will also be an example of community-led, climate-friendly restoration which communities across the country can replicate and use to boost local skills and economy. The homes will help ensure the community thrives into the future, and the support of Scottish Government and others are key here so we’d like to thank them for that.” Jo Robertson, Scotland Support Officer, Architectural Heritage Fund, said: “Thanks to funding from the William Grant Foundation, the Architectural Heritage Fund is pleased to provide grant towards the re-purposing of Borrodale Schoolhouse. This project will use both traditional and new technologies to improve environmental performance and will find design solutions that can be replicated to similar buildings across the Highlands.” |
CHT BlogThis blog features a variety of CHT’s developments and projects located throughout the central and northern Scotland. It also includes the latest news and updates regarding the Trust. Archives
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